Shillong, Jan 10: The Meghalaya cabinet has taken several significant decisions aimed at improving the livelihoods of workers and addressing longstanding employment issues in the state.
CM revealed that the cabinet has approved a revision of the floor rates for the minimum wage across all categories of workers. “The minimum wage for the state has been increased,” Sangma said, adding that for unskilled workers, the wages have gone up from Rs 419 to Rs 525, for semi-skilled from Rs 474 to Rs 565 and for skilled, Rs 530 to Rs 605, and for highly skilled, from Rs 586 to Rs 645.
In another move, the cabinet amended the Meghalaya Building and Other Construction Workers Regulation of Employment and Conditions Rules, 2008. The amendment enhances benefits for the approximately 80,000–85,000 labourers registered with the government.
“These benefits cover areas like medical payments, disability support, and education for the children of registered labourers. With this amendment, the benefits going to families and labourers will increase,” Sangma stated.
The Chief Minister also addressed the government’s decision to regularize ad-hoc employees appointed before 2007. This decision follows a Supreme Court mandate requiring either the regularisation or termination of such employees, with fresh recruitment conducted through proper procedures.
“In 2022, the cabinet regularized 3,000 ad-hoc employees appointed pre-2007 against sanctioned posts. However, during that process, around 850 eligible employees were inadvertently left out,” Sangma said. “Today, the cabinet has decided to regularise the appointments of these 850-plus employees, ensuring they receive the same treatment as their counterparts.”